This invention relates to a refrigerated display case.
Typically, a refrigerated display case includes a cold air discharge at one end of the case that blows cold air from the back of the case to the front of the case and over products contained therein. In addition, there is a diffuser at the top of the display case near the front that discharges cold air across the front opening of the display case. The diffuser includes a plurality of guide structures, known as straws, disposed to direct the flow of air perpendicular down the front opening of the display case. Cold air then flows to a warm air return at the bottom of the case, flowing back through a cooling circuit and out again through the cold air discharge.
Fans generally move the air through the cooling circuit. These fans are located near the bottom of the display case and draw air from the diffuser at the top of the display case to the warm air return at the bottom of the case. Usually, at least two fans are used to draw air into the warm air return from the diffuser. These fans spin generally in the same direction, say counterclockwise, on a panel that supports the fans within the case. When the fans spin in the same direction, air tends to build up over one of the fans due to the common direction of rotation of each fan. For example, fans spinning in a counterclockwise direction will build air over the left fan.
The build up of air over the fan results in the oscillation and fluctuation of air flow and an uneven air curtain across the viewing area as one side of the display case tends to receive more air than the other. Such a design is undesirable, resulting in inferior cooling of product contained within the display case as well as inefficient refrigeration. A need therefore exists for a refrigerated display case that moves air through the cooling circuit without this build up.
In contrast to existing refrigerated display cases, the inventive display case employs fans partitioned from each other so that air from one fan will not interfere with operation of the other fan. The partition may extend from the air inlet to the fans and downstream of the fans. Consequently, air is distributed more evenly through the cooling circuit, resulting in a uniform air curtain and efficient refrigeration.
The inventive refrigeration system comprises a display case having a viewing area with a first side and a second side. On one side, an air outlet directs air across the viewing area to an air inlet on the other side. In this way, an air curtain is formed. Air is drawn into the air inlet by a first and second fan. The first and second fan are spaced from the inlet to form a volume. A partition is formed between the first and second fan dividing the volume.
A cooling element, such as a refrigeration coil, may be spaced from the fans and may create another volume between the fans and the cooling element. Another partition may divide this other volume to further promote equal distribution of air through the display case. This partition may be used in conjunction with the partition between air inlet and fans.
The fans may be supported by a panel within the display case. Each of the partitions may extend perpendicularly from the panel. A second panel may serve as a cover and form a portion of the volume between the air inlet and the fan panel. The fans may further spin in the same direction.
In this way, each partition may form a wall with the fan panel. Thus, air within each chamber formed by each partition may avoid interfering with air in the other chamber. The refrigeration system avoids air build up over any one fan in an inexpensive manner.